The Mermaid Society
by Girl27012006
Summary: It's hard enough being a teenager- try being the daughter of a mermaid and not even knowing it! Follow Ellie McCartney, Allison Dove, Ryder Bennett, and Katie Benjamin through the strangest summer of their lives.
1. Chapter 1: Happy Birthday

As the candles on our birthday cake threatened to drip colorful wax and a variety of voices filled the room in multiple renditions of "Happy Birthday", I looked around and smiled at the group of loved ones.

On either side of me were the two girls that I had been lucky enough to call my best friends since birth, Ryder and Katie. It was their birthday too.

Ryder sung with her voice steady and her head held high. She was a natural-born leader and had wild blonde hair that matched her fiery spirit, which her mum always swore she got from her. She was pretty wealthy because her parents owned the huge restaurant franchise Rikki's (which was named after her mum), but she never let it get to her head. She wore normal clothes and only ever indulged in buying dirt bikes, which she raced competitively. She was more of a daddy's-girl since her and her mother butted heads all time. I wished I could be as outspoken and carefree as she was.

Katie sung softer, although she was the only one in the room with any real singing talent besides her mother. Katie Benjamin was a great surfer and gorgeous with a permanent tan and long blond hair, having inherited both from her mum and her dad. Katie had this laid-back attitude that was a refreshing break from Ryder's intensity. She was the sweetest girl ever and I could always count on her.

Ryder, Katie, and I had been practically sisters since before we were even born because our mums were best friends. I can't even start to tell you how many times I had heard stories about the invincible trio of Rikki, Bella, and Cleo, honestly, after awhile it got pretty sickening. I didn't know why they acted as if their lives were so exciting as teenagers. They sounded boring to me, but then again, what mums were exciting? All of our mums were young because they were just 20 when they had us. Ryder, Katie, and I also had almost the exact same birthdays, all occurring within a week of each other. I had heard our mums making jokes before when they thought I couldn't hear about us being conceived on a full moon, but I didn't want to even think about what that could be an allusion to. All of our families together made up a bigger, more dysfunctional one, and I loved it. Their families, the Benjamin's and Bennett's, were there to celebrate their daughters' birthdays as well as mine.

My mum stood at the other end of the table with the women that I referred to as Aunt Rikki and Aunt Bella, although we were not related by blood. They were glowing with a sort of happiness that people outside of their trio couldn't comprehend as they goofily swayed and sang. My mum stood in the middle, her hazel eyes shining with excitement over her oldest child growing up. Aunt Rikki had abandoned her usual cool attitude and played along, sticking out her tongue when I narrowed my eyes at her incredulously. Aunt Bella just grinned, her sweet singing voice ringing clearly above the rest.

The dads were scattered throughout the room. Mine was smiling, holding an ancient video camera to record the moment. He looked ridiculously uncool in his khaki slacks and fishing shirt, a blend of his profession and hobby, but I still loved him.

Ryder's father, Uncle Zane, was the complete opposite of mine. He wore a dress shirt with nicely tailored designer jeans. He was a young, handsome, and very successful man and this was reflected in everything he did. For example, instead of joining in the festivities, he stood in the corner typing away on his phone. I secretly wished he would come closer, knowing how much Ryder sought his approval, but shook the thought out of my head.

Katie's dad, Uncle Will was clowning around behind us, trying to ruin my father's video. He pulled funny faces and sung in an obnoxious falsetto in our ears. Uncle Will was always the most fun of our fathers and the one Ryder, Katie, and I went to when seeking permission for something controversial.

My little brother Max rolled his eyes at the song and went back to playing with Ryder's younger sister Ruby. The two of them usually didn't get along since Max was a kid-genius and Ruby was a total princess, but I guess they made an exception for our birthdays.

As the song drew to a close, the three of us collectively blew out our fifteen candles.

I, Ellie, was certain in my wish. I wished that this year would be the best of my life.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

"Allison? Alli, honey, wake up," I heard my mother whisper as she gently shook my arm.

I groaned back at her and rolled over in my sleeping bag. It wasn't exactly comfortable, but the thick polyester was welcome against the harsh cold of the Irish winter. There was no other furniture in our house, besides sleeping bags and lanterns. This moving ritual was fun when I was six when my parents and I pretended we were camping on an imaginary island called Mako, that my mom made up. Now, it was the beginning of all the troubles this move would bring me.

"Allison," she said, her tone sharper.

"What?" I snapped, sitting up.

"Happy birthday," she smiled. It was a tradition in the Dove family to celebrate as soon as the clock struck midnight. While this ritual had also been extremely exciting when I was six and got to wake up in the middle of the night, it was a bit bothersome at fourteen. Sorry, fifteen. Plus, this wasn't just a reminder that it was my birthday. This visit from my mom was a reminder that it was moving day.

"No, it's not," I said coldly, my words like a slap to her face. Her blue eyes grew moist and she bit her lip. The slip only lasted a few seconds, though, and she quickly regained her composure.

"Allison, you're turning fifteen, this is exciting! Come on, your dad and the baby are waiting in the kitchen with the cake." She got up off of the bare hardwood floor and dusted off her hands before offering one to me.

I knew this celebration was a peace offering- a way of showing me that the move to Australia wouldn't change the family, but I was skeptical. My parents had had been traveling for years now and one baby hadn't stopped them, so why would another make a difference? Why were they settling now, and why Australia? I was perfectly happy here in Ireland and had been for the past three years. I didn't want to be the new girl all over again. I didn't want Mom to think she had won, but I accepted the outstretched hand anyway, and followed her into the kitchen.

Standing in the doorway was my father, my infant brother in his arms. I didn't say it at the time, but I was jealous of Liam. He would get to grow up in a place that he belonged. I never had that as a child. When I was little, my parents and I had zigzagged across America, living in ten different places in my first ten years of life. I quickly discovered that I was not a wanderer like my mom and dad, and each move grew more difficult.

My dad sat down on the floor with Liam and my mom joined him, patting the space next to her. I sank with them, and Mom presented me with a cookie cake, my favorite. They sang a fast "Happy Birthday", though I tuned it out, choosing instead to focus on the contrast of the flicker of the primary colored candles and the blackness outside the kitchen window. Once the final stanza was sung, I blew out my candles.

My wish? For my secret to remain a secret, despite the move.

**Hey guys, thanks for taking the time to read my story, I hope you liKe it! Let me let you in on a few things though before you get too emotionally invested and there's no way out:**

**1. I am very busy. I go to high school and college and play sports and have a job so things can get a little hectic so I **

**2. Write when I can. It may be a couple of days or a couple of months before I update, however**

**3. No matter how long it takes, I do intend to finish this story **

**Yep, that's it! Again thank you for reading and review if you liked it, or just have something to say and I'll try and update as soon as possible! **


	2. Chapter 2: The New Girl

Unpacking was slightly better than packing, but it still wasn't fun. I had managed to throw a comforter on my bed before getting bored. I was currently working on setting out my trophies. I pulled out my recently-won horseback-riding trophies, ribbons, and medals and arranged them in a suitable fashion before reaching deeper into the cardboard box marked "Allison" in Dad's messy scrawl. From it I retrieved a medal reading "100-meter Freestyle First Place". I traced the engraved words with my thumb before dropping it with a clang, back into the box.

It had been hard convincing my parents that I couldn't swim anymore, but I had done it. My father had been very persistent and continued to drive me to practices for weeks even though I wouldn't get anywhere near the water. My mom, on the other hand, had just gotten really sad. When I told her I was quitting, she didn't even put up a fight or even ask why. All she did was squeeze my hand and say "Okay" with a strange look in her eyes. My dad said it was because I reminded her of herself, and I believed it. Like me, my mom hated water and like me, she refused to say why. Sometimes I even imagined that she was harboring the same secret as me, but I quickly pushed those dreams out of my head. I was a freak.

Mom knocked on the door to my new room as I was reminiscing and slipped in.

"How's the unpacking going?" she asked, knowing full well I wasn't good at it.

I shrugged before giving her a lame "Fine."

"'Fine'?" She mimicked. "Might I have another syllable or two?"

I allowed her a small smile. "You _know_ I've never liked unpacking."

"Yes but this is the last time, don't worry. We're not budging from the Gold Coast. I love it here and I'm positive you will too." She took a seat on my bed and patted the space next to her.

"Why?" I plopped myself down next to her. "_Why_ do you love it so much?"

"You're gonna laugh at me..." She smiled.

"Who me? Never."

"Okay. I know I never say things like this but it really is true," she wrung out her hands. "There's just something magical about this place," she gazed out the window with a dazed look in her eyes. "It's special- different from anywhere else in the world."

"And why's that?"

She blinked. "Pardon?"

"What makes it so special?"

"Oh stop it. I don't usually talk about anything that's not factual, and now you're just trying to see what crazy things you can get out of me before I go back to normal."

I raised my hands. "You caught me," I grinned.

"Well then, I might as well humor you."

I rotated my body so I could lie down with my head in her lap. "Go on," I smiled.

"Okay. Now I'm a very scientific person so don't ever ask me to say this again."

I rolled my eyes, indicating my agreement."

"And it's not so much the Gold Coast as it is things off the shore of the Gold Coast."

"Just get on with it, Mom."

"Alright so strange things happen in those waters. Strange, beautiful, unexplainable things. There are magical beings and gorgeous coral and fishes and it's the most amazing thing, Alli."

She stroked my hair as she talked and I watched her face. Sometimes I forgot how young and obviously pretty my mom was. Her blond hair effortlessly swooped back into a stylish ponytail to reveal her heart-shaped face. Her blue-grey eyes lit up as she spoke and her entire visage became more animated than usual. Her freckled cheeks flushed with excitement and her full lips smiled wide with excitement.

"There are people who have seen these things that have been declared madmen and ridiculed for their beliefs-"

"But you believe them?"

Her voice lost its nostalgic tone and quickly became defensive. "Don't be ridiculous, Allison. They're only stories."

"What about the things you're describing? You don't swim."

She paused for a long moment before stating, "It wasn't always like that."

"What changed?"

"Hm?"

"You said you used to enjoy swimming. Well, what happened?"

"It was nothing. You know I hate water, especially the ocean. It's filthy."

I sighed and resigned myself to the fact that she was not willing to share anything else. "Okay, Mom," I said, sitting up.

"So lets talk about what this new place means for you," she smiled and placed her hand on my leg.

"What are you talking about?"

"Well you've been a little, I don't know, antisocial lately and I want this to be a good fresh start for you."

"Mom!" I cried indignantly. "I am _not_ antisocial!"

"Let's be realistic here, sweetie. Over the past year you spontaneously dropped all of your friends."

"Did not," I huffed, crossing my arms.

"Alli," she said, insisting I agree.

"Okay, fine, say that I did. What does it matter?"

"What matters is that you can't be lonely like this, Alli. Who are you going to hang out with, or tell secrets to? Certainly not me."

"Alright, alright. I'll make an effort if it'll make you happy."

"That's all I'm asking," she grinned. "Hey, do you remember those cafes we used to go to in the States? The ones called Rikki's?" She asked.

I nodded. I had loved Rikki's when I was younger because it made me feel sophisticated. While other cafes sold coffee, which I found disgusting at the time, Rikki's sold juices, which were perfect for preteen girls.

"The original is right down the street if you want to check it out. I'll set up your mirror and dresser while you're out. Who knows, maybe you'll make some new friends," she smiled at me.

"Okay, but no promises," I said, slipping on a pair of flip flops. One good thing about Australia was that it was summer here.

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

"So, Ellie, how do you wanna kick off the start to the summer holidays?" Ryder asked me as we walked along the beach, a mischievous smile on her face. "We could steal one of those yachts down at the marina or go get raging drunk at one of the Grade 12 parties or-"

"Or we could go to Rikki's," Katie finished, playfully shoving Ryder into the waves. We were all itching for an adventure, but the ones Ryder were suggesting weren't exactly appealing.

I pretended to ponder the question for a moment. "Hmm, while alcohol does sound fun," I said, the idea of me drinking causing Katie to giggle, "We can go to Grade 12 parties when we're actually in Grade 12. Let's just go get some juice."

Ryder moaned about how lame Rikki's was, but she was biased. Every other teen on the Gold Coast loved Rikki's, Katie and myself included.

"C'mon, we need you for the Bennett discount," I teased.

"Fine," she huffed. "Some of those smoothies are ridiculously overpriced."

"Don't let the media catch you saying that," Katie laughed.

The three of us continued down the sand on our way to Rikki's, gossiping and laughing and making plans for summer. By the time we were wrapping up our discussion on our solo mission to Mako Island, a new voice had chimed in right outside Rikki's.

"I'm sorry, did you just say Mako Island?" We heard someone ask. Ryder, Katie, and I turned around to see a girl of about our age. She had straight, dirty-blonde hair that hung a bit past her shoulders, grey eyes wide with nerves, and a mouth that naturally turned into a pout. She wore a thin blue sweater, khaki shorts, and a pair of black thongs.

"Yes, why?" Katie asked. She had always been the friendliest of us.

"It's just that my mother always...never mind." The girl blushed and turned to walk away.

"Wait," I found myself calling out. "Do you want to join us for a juice?"

The four of us managed to find a table rather quickly despite the crowds due to Ryder's connections. The place was usually swamped with tourists this time of year and all the hustle and bustle clashed with the laid back style of the cafe. We slid right into our usual booth and a waitress came over to take the new girl's order. Katie, Ryder, and I hadn't placed an order at that place since we were ten. Instead, the waitress just brought out "the usual".

"So, who are you?" Ryder asked the girl, never liking to beat around the bush.

"I'm Allison. Allison Dove. I just moved here," she answered. "What are your names?"

"I'm Ellie McCartney," I told her, offering a smile, "And this is Katie Benjamin," she gave a small wave, "And Ryder Bennett."

"Hi," Ryder smirked.

"Now what was that about Mako?" I asked her.

"I had just assumed that it wasn't a real island."

"Of course it's a 'real island,'" Ryder scoffed.

"Well there's got to be a reason why you though it wasn't," Katie said kindly, shooting Ryder a warning look.

Allison sighed. "When I was a little girl, my mother used to tell me all sorts of stories about a place called Mako Island. I don't know why she wouldn't have told me that it was real, instead of lying and saying it was imaginary."

The long answer gave me time to analyze her voice. It was odd, seeming to be a blend of multiple accents. Allison was turning out to be really interesting.

"I guess that's weird," I said, dismissing the subject so I could bring up another. "So where did you say you're from? I mean you're new, aren't you?"

She smiled. "I actually didn't say, but yes, I am new. I just moved here from Ireland."

"You don't sound Irish," Ryder said, as if the accusation was important. After a glance from me she tacked on "Well not completely anyway."

Allison launched into the story of her life and how she had moved from town to town for as long as she could remember. After a bit more prompting, I also found out about her love for horses and her success in school.

I thought it was sad that the girl had nowhere to really call home. If what her mum had told her was true and they were staying here permanently, I was going to do my best to make this Allison's home. After all, I found the girl intriguing. At a glance, she seemed like an open book. However, as you talked, you began to realize that there were some subjects that she avoided completely with a kind of skill that made the diversion hard to catch. I wanted to be her friend. I wanted to figure her out.

I left lunch with Allison Dove's telephone number and the promise of future plans.


End file.
